National Guard Shifts Duties from Protests to Wildfires in California
In downtown Los Angeles, demonstrators joined hands, standing their ground in front of the California National Guard on an eventful Monday, June 9, 2025. Diverging from the common scene, instead of securing a Federal Building amidst the heated protests, the National Guard was set to return to fulfilling their original duties – battling the wildland fires. The announcement surfaced from the Department of Defense on Tuesday, clearing the way for around 150 guards to return to wildland fire-fighting operations.
General Gregory Guillot, the NORTHCOM commander presently in charge of California’s military operations, placed a request for a detachment of forces. Initially, these 200 soldiers were assigned the task of protecting immigration but were redirected as the protestors’ outcry heightened. His request was honored with the release of ‘approximately 150’ guards to resume their firefighting duties.
The Federal Building in Los Angeles has seen more than 4,000 members of the National Guard stationed for protection purposes lately. The personnel also served as a buffer for Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during their exercise of immigration raids.
California’s Governor, Gavin Newsom, had been expressing his discontent regarding the federalization of the National Guard by President Donald Trump. He stressed the impact of this move, as the depleted firefighting teams struggled to manage the wildfire situation within the state.
Repeated orders from President Trump had resulted in the deployment of eight out of 14 National Guard teams tasked with battling wildfires. This unwarranted shift in focus occurred during a time when the state’s vulnerability to wildfires was inching towards its pinnacle.
Newsom’s upward battle against the President’s decisions was finally met with some gratification when he got news of the repatriation of the guards. On Monday, Governor Newsom made a public announcement welcoming the shift in duties of the troops.
Newsom’s statement reflected both relief and sternness. Arising from the commander’s order to return the National Guard troops to their firefighting roles, Newsom expressed his satisfaction. He aimed a clear message towards the President, iterating on the criticality of halting the abuse of power.
Highlighting the inappropriateness of the ‘illegal militarization’ of Los Angeles as President Trump’s misjudgment, he called upon him to heed the advice of the military professionals. Climate crises, such as wildfires, required immediate attention and the National Guard’s skill sets were more fitting to these scenarios.
Newsom’s repeated criticisms of federal actions were not borne out of political rivalry but rather a practical concern. The state of California needed the reinforcement of its firefighting teams more than anything. The Governor’s plea was for the well-being and safety of the state’s residents.
While putting an end to what he termed ‘political theater’, Governor Newsom urged a reevaluation of priorities. He implored President Trump to view the situation from the perspective of critical need and safety.
The decision to redirect 150 National Guardsmen back to wildland firefighting may appear small, but it marks a significant victory for the local authorities. The benefit it brings to their crisis management cannot be understated – an acknowledgement of their challenging situation.
In his closing remarks, Newsom looked forward to a continued change in this vein. A successful transition away from the controversies of the past can only occur when the guards are allowed to return and contribute to their prime responsibilities.
The steps moving forward must echo this sentiment of support for practical decision-making over power play. The people of California, the ones directly affected by the shifting dynamics, would cheer a total reallocation of the National Guard back to firefighting, minimizing unnecessary complications and focusing on protecting the state’s citizens.